Uber drivers would manipulate the application to create an artificial surge charge – BGR

The tariff surtax is a frustrating but understandable compromise that we have to face in order to get affordable commutes as we please and call wherever we go. If time permits, if a major concert or sports event has just spoiled, or if the night is particularly lively, you may pay a few dollars more for an Uber. But what if there is a way for drivers to manipulate the service and activate the surcharge at any time?

According to a report from Washington, DC ABC7it's not only possible, but it's happening all over the country. The local news channel initially reported artificial flares at Reagan National Airport last month, prompting Uber to explain that this was not a widespread problem and that there were protection to prevent it.

Since this initial report, however, ABC7 Uber riders from all over the country have come forward claiming that they have also experienced similar incidents in their cities. Carpool drivers apparently say the same thing, as ABC7 cites videos on YouTube that seem to confirm the suspicions of motorcyclists who think they have been fooled to pay surges when they should not.

"And we all know, rule number one, that we're not talking about" Surge Club, "said Dustin, a carpool driver in the Tampa area, in a video. "Go ahead, if you do something you should not do, you will not talk to the world about it."

After talking to carpool drivers who were ready to reveal the secrets of handling the price hike, ABC7 He explains that it is as easy to activate the upward pricing as a group of pilots who turn off their apps at the same time and then turn them back on. ABC7 saw prices jump $ 10 or $ 20 in an instant.

Uber shared the following statement with ABC7: "We have taken steps to combat fraudulent behavior … to engage in this behavior may result in the elimination". Uber also said that it can be difficult to determine when drivers participate in this behavior at airports because prices rise naturally throughout the week.

As for the Uber drivers who take advantage of this mechanism, they say that wage cuts have put them in a position where they feel compelled to do what they can to earn enough money to survive.

Image Source: Richard Drew / AP / Shutterstock